UN humanitarian aid agency: $22.2B in funds needed in 2017

GENEVA – The U.N.'s humanitarian aid coordinator says it and partners require $22.2 billion next year to help people hit by conflict and disasters around the world, a 10 percent increase from 2016 with war and disease wracking countries like Syria, Yemen and South Sudan.

More than one-third of the total expected need, or $8.1 billion, projected by OCHA aims to help people in Syria and refugees from it.

Overall the appeal from the Office of Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs seeks to help nearly 93 million people either inside 32 countries or fleeing from them, about two-thirds of them in Africa.

Appeals like the "Global Humanitarian Response" announced Monday generally fall short of their targets and are based on estimations, but set an important benchmark for need around the world.